How unpopular is Governor Fallin? Kevin Durant is more popular.

One might think that former Oklahoma City Thunder player Kevin Durant, who abandoned the team to join another one just to win a championship, would be one of the most unpopular people in the Oklahoma public eye right now. But, in this highly competitive sports state, that’s not the case, particularly in comparison to Governor Mary Fallin.

More than six out of ten likely voting Oklahomans find Fallin unfavorable, while less than one in five for Durant.

[QUESTION] I am going to read to you a list of individuals. For each one, please tell me whether you have a FAVORABLE or UNFAVORABLE opinion. [PROBE: VERY/SOMEWHAT] MARY FALLIN

1. Very favorable

6.3

2. Somewhat favorable

24.8

COMBINED FAVORABLE

31.1

3. Don’t know/No opinion/Refused [DNR]

7.6

4. Somewhat unfavorable

21.2

5. Very unfavorable

40.1

COMBINED UNFAVORABLE

61.3

[QUESTION] KEVIN DURANT

1. Very favorable

12.7

2. Somewhat favorable

31.9

COMBINED FAVORABLE

44.6

3. Don’t know/No opinion/Refused [DNR]

38.0

4. Somewhat unfavorable

13.3

5. Very unfavorable

4.3

COMBINED UNFAVORABLE

17.6

Fifty-two percent of Republicans found Fallin unfavorable, while 71.6 percent of Democrats and 65.1 percent of Independents did as well.

A plurality of self-identified Conservatives, 46.9 percent, found Fallin unfavorable and 75.3 percent of Moderates.

Perhaps what could be even more saddening for the Governor is 64 percent of likely voters in the 5th Congressional District, a district she represented in Congress, viewed her unfavorably with 46.3 percent as “very unfavorable,” more than any other congressional district in the state.

[QUESTION] STATE LEGISLATURE

1. Very favorable

3.1

2. Somewhat favorable

27.1

COMBINED FAVORABLE

30.2

3. Don’t know/No opinion/Refused [DNR]

13.3

4. Somewhat unfavorable

28.3

5. Very unfavorable

28.3

COMBINED UNFAVORABLE

56.6

What may also be very telling about the depths of the Governor’s unpopularity is it’s comparison to the State Legislature as a whole which, like most evaluations of elected bodies, never scores well.

Only 56.6 percent of likely voting Oklahomans viewed the State Legislature unfavorably compared to 61.3 percent for Fallin. While only 28 percent viewed the State Legislature as “very unfavorable,” a full 40 percent viewed Fallin as “very unfavorable.”

About the Poll

SoonerPoll.com, Oklahoma’s public opinion pollster, asked these questions of Oklahoma likely voters as part of the SoonerPoll Quarterly Poll.

The scientific study was conducted from April 25 – May 1, 2017 with 409 likely Oklahoma voters selected at random statewide from a tri-frame of both landline telephone and cell phones, plus a online panel from Research Now. The sample was weighted by age, political party, and congressional district in order to reflect the Oklahoma likely voter population for a general election. The weighting was conducted using a ‘layered technique.’

The sample reflects the traditional demographical profile of the Oklahoma likely voter with roughly half of respondents identifying as conservative and attending religious services once or more per week. The study has a Margin of Error (MoE) of ± 4.84 percent.

This poll not only conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls but exceeds the standard disclosure with a Call Disposition and Rate Calculation Report. A complete description of the methodology can be found here.

The poll’s Call Disposition and Rate Calculation Report can be viewed here. A beta version of the Weighting Table Report can be viewed here.

Bill is the founder of SoonerPoll.com and ShapardResearch, a full service market research firm based in Oklahoma City. Bill began his career in polling after working on a major campaign in Oklahoma from 1996 until founding SoonerPoll in 2004.
Under Bill’s leadership, SoonerPoll has become the leading public opinion polling company in the state of Oklahoma conducting more public opinion polls for Oklahoma news media than all other pollsters combined since 2006. Bill’s commitment to go above and beyond the AAPOR ethical guidelines of minimum disclosure ensures that SoonerPoll produces quality results every time.
Bill has lectured at Oklahoma State University on developing polling methodologies, data collection processes, and advanced likely voter sampling techniques. Bill also serves as an on-air political commentator for Oklahoma television stations.

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Since 2004, SoonerPoll has been Oklahoma’s only independent, non-partisan public opinion polling firm. A brand of ShapardResearch, LLC, SoonerPoll conducts its polling from its headquarters in Oklahoma City.

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